Moldovan authorities to merge Chisinau, Marculesti airports, create transport hub
CHISINAU. Jan 29 (Interfax) - The Moldovan Infrastructure and Regional Development Ministry plans to merge the international airports of Chisinau and Marculesti into one state-owned enterprise this year, the Moldovan Public Property Agency said.
"Marculesti Airport will focus on cargo air transport, as there is a free economic zone and a railway hub nearby in Balti. In the summer, the airport will receive charter flights," the agency said.
As part of this, Marculesti Airport's runway will be repaired, allowing it to accommodate cargo planes. The cost of the airport modernization project is 4 million euros. The funds will be provided by Chisinau Airport after the decision to merge the two airports into one state enterprise is approved.
It is planned that Marculesti Airport will become the main hub for cargo transportation in the region, as there are no cargo terminals in the neighboring Romanian cities of Iasi, Suceava and Bacau. As a result, the region will have the largest airport with two branches. "The initiative aims to create a modern and efficient airport system that will meet the needs of the country's passengers and neighboring countries, and also cope with market fluctuations during difficult times," the agency said.
The Moldovan authorities previously discussed modernization of Chisinau Airport at a cost of up to 300 million euros. It was planned that a new passenger terminal would be built which would increase the airport's capacity to 5 million passengers per year.
Chisinau Airport served more than 4.1 million passengers in 2024 and 2.4 million people in 2023.
Marculesti International Airport, which is state-owned, was established in 2024 on the site of a military base. During the Soviet period, it was home to the fighter aviation of the Odessa Military District. In 2004, the military base was converted into a civilian airport. In 2008, the Moldovan authorities decided to create a free economic zone on the site of the former military airfield.
Currently, only small cargo planes can land at the airport during the daytime.